When students and emerging professionals ask how to get their first job, the advice they expect is often tactical: polish your résumé, practice interviews, apply widely. But after more than a decade of hosting in-person professional events, what I’ve seen that matters most actually happens well before the job search even begins.

The emerging professionals who build real career momentum don’t wait until graduation to connect — they invest early, show up consistently, and build relationships long before they need anything in return.

What often gets in the way is the idea of “networking.” To many, the term carries a transactional reputation — one rooted in forced, awkward conversations. As a result, professional connection can get delayed until it becomes urgent. By that point, the pressure is high, and the experience rarely feels authentic.

What I have seen is that emerging professionals who transition most successfully take a different approach.

They begin engaging while still in school or in the earliest stages of their careers, and they do so with intention. Not by attending everything or chasing outcomes, but by participating in ways that fit their already-busy lives.

They attend an in-person event, join a professional community, volunteer as a student ambassador, or engage in a mentoring relationship. What matters most isn’t the format; it’s the mindset. Curiosity. Consistency. A willingness to build connections without immediate expectations.

Over time, these small, repeated interactions compound. Familiar faces become trusted contacts. Conversations build confidence. Learning becomes contextual rather than theoretical. When the job search eventually begins, these emerging professionals aren’t starting from scratch; they’re already part of a professional community that recognizes them.

This approach matters even more as the nature of work continues to evolve.

Leadership researcher Marcus Buckingham has been clear that while artificial intelligence will continue to automate tasks, it cannot replace the human work that drives meaningful outcomes. He stated, “Every great job comes down to creating experiences that make people feel something. AI can’t do that.” As administrative and transactional work becomes increasingly handled by technology, the human elements of work, trust, judgment, empathy, and influence, become the real differentiators.

These skills and capabilities aren’t developed in isolation. They are best learned through interaction, such as by observing how professionals communicate, navigate complexity, and build relationships. Community engagement, particularly in person, is one of the most effective ways emerging professionals begin to develop these skills early, especially given our very online and virtual world.

In-person engagement has become rare. And this is exactly why it works.

Within our digital-first world, face-to-face connection accelerates learning in ways that online environments cannot fully replicate. It builds confidence faster. It deepens relationships more naturally. And it helps emerging professionals understand how work happens — not just how it’s described in a classroom or job posting. The return on investment isn’t simply a job lead; it’s being recognized, remembered, and trusted before an opportunity even exists.

For these reasons, we build and offer a wide variety of in-person networking and engagement opportunities for all our members here at CPHR BC & Yukon, including ones that are specially tailored for students and emerging professionals.

Those who understand the value of in-person connections do not wait until graduation or a stalled job search to start showing up. They invest early, participate with intention, and choose in-person connection whenever they can. In doing so, they aren’t just preparing for their first roles; they are building a durable career advantage grounded in the human skills that will matter most in the future of work: being engaged and present.

Quinne Davey is the Senior Member Relations Manager at CPHR BC & Yukon.

“PeopleTalking” is monthly column dedicated to covering key HR issues that matter to you, our members. The columns will be written in an op-ed style and will range between 500 and 750 words. Given today’s attention spans and bandwidths, we wanted to ensure the pieces were easily digestible and shareable.

And we want to hear from you! We always welcome feedback so do let us know your thoughts as each column appears. We also want to know if there are any particular topics you would like us to write about. After all, our aim is to help you in your role as an HR professional in your organization.